Chiang Mai Is Mighty Nice

[muchogra]

Early this month we took our visiting daughter from the US to visit our new house in CM. This time we spent the longest time there (5 nights) since we owned the house last September. I drove there from Bangkok with a stopover for a night in Kampaeng Phet. Did the same on the return trip. No night driving for me on a long trip. Too many crazy drivers on the road especially those van drivers.

Thanks to the TV members who have suggested places to visit around CM. Our time was limited so we only got to visit a few places but it was very enjoyable. The daughter loved it. I thought I would share some pictures with you on our trip.

We started the Samoeng loop from the Mae Rim side at around noon. First stop, we had lunch here:

I had a fish and chip (B125). The daughter had some gaan gai (B120). The wife thought the Thai dishes were expensive so she ordered a hot dog (B80) which turned out quite terrible. The rest was ok. The wif-fi had strong signal and the wife loved it watching drama on her iPad. Went to the toilet and saw the graffiti on the wall:

While sitting at the restaurant, heard some loud screams coming from the back. Went to the back and saw this guy dangling up and down from a crane (bungy jump).

The daughter asked the mother if she would do the bungy for a million bahts. I interrupted by saying I would push her down on the jump for a mere B50,000. The wife took the chance to ridicule me by telling our daughter that's the way her dad treats her. Luckily the daughter understood it was just humor. I guess you just couldn't get too humorous with anybody including your better half for decades!

Next we stopped at this monkey place. The lady admitted us for B100 a head while proclaiming that it's normally B200 for foreigners. Yeah I accepted her kind offer. Here are some pics:

We spent a couple of hundred bahts buying fruits and feeding the monkey. All that time the wife and daughter were having a good time but wondering if they were doing the right thing. They felt they were committing an act of encouragement for people to treat animals with cruelty. All I could say was telling them not to think about it. Note: please don't comment on this subject with me. Thank you.

We went on to the waterfall (forgot the name). The wife didn't want to hike up. Instead, she was soaking her feet at Level 1. The daughter and I hiked up until we saw a guy who looked a bit demented dragging a big machete along the ground as he walked. We came back down and soaked our feet in the running cool stream. Afterward, I felt much lighter walking. A pic at the waterfall:

We had some gai yaan and somtam at the park where the waterfall is located. They were good and at normal prices.

We then visited the Botanic Garden - our last stop for the day. We drove in there expecting to pay some entrance fees but didn't see any gate collecting fees. The view was nice. Some pics:

We also went to Bo San, Sankampaeng Hot Spring and the Night Safari on other days. I would try to post some pictures in my follow-up posts.

Unfortunately, we couldn't visit (lack of time) more places this time as detailed by some TV members such as T_DOG, Ian Forbes, Jungle Chef, fish enough, etc. Hopefully next time though. Thanks again to those who have made known of places of interest which made possible of our pleasant trip.

[muchogra]

Oop, messed up posting the pic of graffiti! Could't find how to edit it afterward. Well....it should be understood anyway.

[muchogra]

Here's a clearer picture of the graffiti. Graffiti always reminds me of the ghettos in some large US cities that I have seen.

Visited Bo San - a place that manufactures umbrellas. It's a colorful street as witnessed in the picture. Bought some tall vases and artificial flowers. Though some umbrellas are quite pretty but I have never seen anyone using it on the streets though.

Sankampaeng Hot Spring was nice for us to spend a few hours there. Our daughter read the Thai numerals so we got in for B20 per head; otherwise, it's B40 which is no big deal either.

We bought a basket of 3 eggs and had some nice hard-boiled eggs after submerging them in the outlet area for 10 minutes. Area near the outlet the water was too hot to soak your feet in. Further downstream is just hot enough for soaking your feet.

I think this place is good to relax for a day with family and friends. They serve food and drink inside or you can bring your own then find a shaded and cool place to relax in. My wife and daughter had foot massage while I had a body massage. I forgot if it were B150 or B200 for an hour. My massage was done in a public room with a few mats on the floor. I had a male masseur and it was alright although I would have preferred a cleaner room.

Went to the night safari. Paid B50 per head for "chung view" - looking around. Nice! And I don't see any animals mistreated as mentioned by some posters.

Leaving the Night Safari on our way back to east side of the town, saw on Canal Road (?) this restaurant packed with customers. I think it's called "Ing Plaa" - stomach full of fish? We managed to get a table and had a plaa tuptim neun, tor mum kung, kung oop woon sen, mixed veggie with oyster sauce, tum yung tallat. Sorry for the transliteration. They were big dishes unlike most Thai dishes that are usually small. The bill came out less than B600. Very good! I was a good boy in front of the wife and daughter, didn't have any beer except water. We all enjoyed the trip. The daughter loved it including the weather which she says though it's hot during the day it's cool under the shade. I never noticed such thing until she pointed it out.

[msg362]

Please don't tell everyone how nice it is up here, Lots of Bangkokians are buying up everything! Keep it quiet!!!! ( PS this is a joke!!)

Edited February 19, 2012 by msg362

[NancyL]

Thank you for sharing your story and the news that not every westerner is charged higher prices. Most of the people who say they're victimized by this practice describe themselve as "f-s". The OP is clearly just a nice guy having a nice vacation with his family. It looks like the OP and his family were in a nice frame of mind and enjoyed themselves. Yes, let's keep quiet, but it's also nice to see local businesses promoted. After all, us locals can't keep these places in business by ourselves.

[NaMah]

Great thread. Appreciate the picts.

The photo with the deer, are they penned onto the compound or do they just come and go because they are fed there?

[hml367]

What is a local?

MSPain